Windmill.



Patented lan. I4, |962.

A. H. HAU. WINDMILL. (Application med .my 1, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)-

2 2 f au ma Nbnms Firms ro. PHoToUTHo, wAsHmnToN, n, c.

No. 699,950. Patented jan. I4, i902..

A. H. HAU.

WINDWIILL.

(Applicacich sled July 1, 1901.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(Hu Model.)

Wgasses @y me News PETERS cn, PHoro-Llxwo. wm-mmm. u. c

wisten @madres 'Partitur @tribut AUGUST HENRY HAU, OF ST. CLOUD, VISCONSIN.

WINDVILL.

SPEGlFlGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,950, dated January 14,1902. Application iiled July 1,1901. Serial No. 66,722. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST HENRY HAU, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Cloud, in the county of Fond du Lac and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Windmill, ot' which the following is a specitication.

The invention relates to improvements in windmills.

The objectof the present invention is to irnprove the construction of windmills and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive one adapted to be readilycontrolled from the base of the tower to arrange it for either light or heavy work and capable of operating automatically to run at a uniform speed in heavy winds.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed ont in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view, partlyin section, of a windmill constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of a portion of a wind-wheel. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawlngs.

1 designates a horizontal tube or sleeve designed to be mounted upon a rotary frame or turn-table 2 of any desired construction and forming a bearing for a horizontal Wind-wheel shaft 3, upon one end of which is mounted a wind-Wheel. The windwheel comprises a hub 4, a frame 5, and an annular series of blades, which are pivotally mounted within the frame. The hub, which may be iixed to the horizontal Wind-wheel shaft in any suitable manner, either by aset-screw 7 or other fastening device, is provided at its inner end with a disk or plate 8, arranged in a plane at right angles to that of the wind-wheel shaft. The frame 5, which supports the blades C, is provided with inner and outer concentric rings 9 and 10, which are provided with suitable bearings for the reception of the inner and outer pivots 11 and l2 of the blades. The inner and outer rings are supported by radially-arranged skeleton spokes, which constitute the main portion of the frame of the wind-wheel are located slightly beyond the centers of the ends in order to provide a greater amount of surface at the inner side of the pivots to enable the wind to open the blades, and thereby automatically regulate the speed of the Wind-Wheel whcn'the force of the wind exceeds the power of the springs that hold the blades in the wind. The inner ends ofthe blades are connected with a movable ring 1G, arranged within the tapering approximately oblong portions of the windwheel frame and adapted to be partially rotated by the means hereinafter described to swing the blades on their pivots. The 1novable ring, which is located at the inner sides of the inner pivots, is provided with suitable perforations for the reception of projections 17, which extend from the inner ends of the blades, whereby the latter are connected with the movable ring. The movable ring is attached to the outer ends of short flexible connections 18, extending longitudinally of the movable ring a short distance and passing around guide-pulleys 19 and secured at their inner ends to the outer terminals of radially disposed coiled springs 20. The guide-pulleys are mounted on the radial portions of the wind-wheel frame, and the liexible connections 18 are secured to the movable ring a short distance from the radial portions or spokes of the wind-wheel. The coiled springs 2O are connected at their inner ends to an annular series of levers 21, which are fulcrumed between their ends on the disk or plate of the hub between perforated ears 22, which are arranged in pairs and which receive suitable pivots 23. The outer arms of the levers 21 wheel 2G.

IOO

' may be provided.

or otherwise slidingly connected with thehorizontal sleeve or tube, and it is adapted to be moved inward and outward to carry it into engagement with the disk or plate of the frame of the wind-wheel and to diseugage it therefrom. It engages the disk or plate of the wind-wheel when the latteris out of the wind, and it preventsA the wheel from turning under such conditions. The brake-wheel is provided with a hub to receive the collar 25, which is secured on the hub by a removable plate 26, and the latter is bolted or otherwise secured to the hub, as clearly illustrated in Fig. l of the accompanying drawings. The hub of the wind-wheel is provided with a recess 27 to receive the adjacent end of the horizontal tube or sleeve, which is provided with a iiange; but any other desired construction The collar is provided at intervals with perforated ears 28, which are arranged in pairs to receive the inner ends of the links and which are connected with the same by suitable pivots.

The fastening devices 29, which secure the removable plate 26 to the hub of the brakewheel, also fasten a yoke 30 to the same, and this yoke or fork 30, which straddles the horizontal tube-or sleeve, is formed integral with a sliding rod 3l, mounted in a suitable guide 32 of the horizontal tube or sleeve and provided at its inner end with an eye 33. A coiled spring 34 is disposed on the rod 3l and is interposed between the yoke and the guide 32 and is adapted to force the brake-Wheel outward into contact with the plate or disk of the frame of the wind-wheel. The spring holds the brake-wheel into engagement with the wind-wheel when the latteris turned out of the wind, as illustrated in Fig. l of the accompanying drawings.

The eye 33 of the sliding rod 3l is connected by a short flexible connection 35 with a chain 36 or other suitable flexible connection,whicl1 is connected by the means hereinafter described with a hinged vane 37 and which is adapted to swing the latter from a position parallel wit-l1 the wind-wheel shaft to a position at right angles to the same to arrange the vane parallel with the plane of the windwheel, as illustrated in Fig. l of the accompanying drawings. The chain 36 has its intermediate portion arranged on guide-pulleys 3S and 39, and it extends downward and is secured to a wire 4U or other suitable con nection, which is designed to extend to the base of the tower for enabling the windmill to be controlled from that point. The pulleys 38 and 39 are arranged vertically and horizontally, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the accompanyingdrawings, and they are mounted on the rotary frame or support 2 in any suitable manner. The outer end of the chain 36 is secured to one arm 37L of a bell-crank lever 3S, which has its other arm 4l connected by a link 42 with the tube or sleeve, as clearly shown in Fig. l. The bell-crank lever is fulcrumed at its angle on the vane ecosse 'ed independently of the bell-crank lever, is

arranged atan acute angle to the arm 37a, and itis adapted to move with the same and to permit the lever to move independently of it. A chain 36 extends through an opening 45 of the outer end of the arm, and it passes therefrom to the horizontal pulley 38, and when the wind-wheel is out of the wind and arranged as shown in Fig. l the flexible connection 35 is attached to the chain at a point between the oscillatory arm 44 and the guidepulley 38.

The arm 44 is connected with the arm 37n of the bell-crank lever by means of a curved rod 46, preferably secured at one end to the said arm 44 and passing through a perforation 47 of the arm 37a and provided at its end 48 with a nut or other suitable stop for engaging the arm` 37L to limit the separation of the arm 44 and the arm 372 A coiled spring 49 is disposed on the curved rod 46 and is adapted to hold the arms normally separated. When the chain 36 is moved in the direction of the arrow in Fig. l, the bell-crank lever is swungaround and the arm 44 is carried with it. This movement of the bell-crank lever swings the vane from the position shown in Fig. l toward its position parallel with the windwheel shaft. The link 42 by being connected with the arm 38a of the bell-crank lever causes the vane to swing in this manner. The bellcrank lever and the arm 44 swing together until the latter contacts with the rotary frame or support 2, at which time the vane will be close to its position parallel with the windwheel shaft. Further movement of the chain 36in the direction of the arrow produces a compression of the spring 49 and operates to draw on the iiexible connection 35 and slide the rod 31 against t'ne action of the coiled spring 34. This movement of the sliding rod 3l moves the brake-wheel away from the wind-wheel and simultaneously swings the` blades 6 on their pivots and arranges them at an angle to be operated on by the wind. The blades may be arranged at different angles, and by this construction the speed of the wind-wheel may be controlled. The operating-wire 40 may be secured at any desired adjustment, and when the radially-arranged springs are set at any tension they will hold the blades at an angle and in position for causing the wind-wheel to rotate until the force of the wind exceeds the power of the springs, when the wind will open the blades against the action of the radially-arranged springs and pass through the windwheel without accelerating the speed of the same. The wind-wheel may be set for light or heavy work by varying the tension of the radially-arranged springs, and these may be IOO IIC

varied in size to adapt the windmill to the character of work for which it is` designed to be employed. The vane, which may be of any desired construction, is hinged at the inner end of its arm 50 at a point below the plane of the wind-wheel shaft, and the bellcrank lever has its arms bent upward, as illustrated in Fig. 3, to arrange its ends in substantially the saine plane as the top of the rotary frame or support. 'Ihe vane is also connected with the horizontal tube or sleeve by a coiled spring 5l, extending from the inner side of the vane to the guide 32, as clearly shown in Fig. l, and this heavy coiled spring is adapted to swing the vane to the position shown in Fig. l to throw the wind-wheel out of the wind, when the parts are free to move and are released by slackening the operatingwire 40.

rIhe horizontal wind-wheel shaft may be connected with any suitable gearing for communicating motion to the pump, machine, or other device to be operated, and as such gearing does not form any portion of the present invention a detailed description thereof is deemed unnecessary. The gear-wheel 53 is shown at the end of the wind-Wheel shaft; but

`it may be arranged centrally over the pivot of the rotary frame or turn-table, if desired.

It will be seen that the wind-wheel is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that itis adapted to be controlled from the base ot` the tower, and that it may be readily arranged for light or heavy Work.

Vhat I claim .is-

l. In a Windmill, the combination of a windwheel having pivoted blades, a spring connected with the pivoted blades, a brake for engaging the wind-wheel, a lever fnlcrumed on and carried by the wind-wheel and connected with the said spring and with the brake, and operating mechanism connected with the brake, substantially as described.

2. In a Windmill, the combination of a wind- Wheel provided with pivoted blades, a movable ring connected with the pivoted blades, an annular series of levers fnlcrumed on the wind-wheel, springs connected with the levers and with the blades,a brake arranged to engage the Wind-wheel and connected with the levers, and operating mechanism connected With the'brake, substantially as described.

3. In a windmill, the combination of a windwheel having pivoted blades, a movable ring connected with the pivoted blades, guide-pnlleys mounted on the wind-Wheel, flexible connections extending from the ring and passing over the guide-pulleys,springs connected with the flexible connections, levers fulcrumed between their ends on the wind-wheel and connected at one arm with the springs, a brake connected with the other arms of the levers and arranged to engage the wind-wheel, and means for operating the brake, substantially as described.

l. In a Windmill, the combination of awindwheel having movable blades, a brake arranged to engage the wind-wheel, means for yieldingly connecting the brake with the blades, a spring for holding the brake in engagemen t with the wind-wheel, a hinged vane, and operating mechanism connected with the hinged vane and with the brake and adapted to operate the pivoted blades, substantially as described.

5. In awindmill, the combination of a Windwheel having movable blades, a vane,'a brake, and operating mechanism connected with the vane, the brake and the blades and adapted to swing the vane and to disengage the brake and to set the blades at an angle, substantially as described.

6. In a windmill, the combination of a frame, a hinged vane,a bell-crank lever fulcrumed on the vane and connected at one end with the frame, an arm arranged at an angle to one of the arms ot' the bell-crank lever and yieldingly connected with the same, and a flexible connection extending from such arm of the bell-crank lever to the oscillatory arm and passing therefrom to the frame, substantially as described.

7. In a windmill, the combination of a frame, a vane hinged to the frame, a lever fulcrumed between its ends on the vane, a link connecting one of the arms of the lever with the frame, a ilexible connection extending from the other arm of the lever to the frame, and an oscillatory arm receiving the flexible connection and yieldingly connected with the lever, substantially as described.

8. In a windmill, the combination of a frame, a wind-Wheel having movable blades, a vane hinged to the frame, alever fulcru med between its ends on the vane and connected at one of its arms with the frame, a flexible connection extending from the other arm of the lever to the frame, and means for connecting the blades with the said flexible connection, substantially as described.

9. In a Windmill, the combination of a frame, a wind-wheel having movable blades, a lever fulcrumed between its ends on the vane, a link connecting one arm of the lever with the frame, a flexible connection extending from the other arm of the lever to the frame, the arm la yieldingly connected with the lever and receiving the flexible connection, and means for connecting the latter with the blades, substantially as described.

lO. In a Windmill, the combination of a frame, a wind-wheel having movable blades, a vane hinged to the frame, alever fulcrumed between its ends on the vane, a link connecting one arm of the lever with the frame, .the pivoted arm 44, the curved rod connecting the pivoted arm with the adjacent arm of the lever, a coiled spring disposed on the said rod and interposed between the pivoted arm and the lever, a iiexible connection extending from the lever to the pivoted arm and passing therefrom to the frame, and means for connecting the blades with the exible connection, substantially as described.

IOO

VIl() ll. In a Windmill, the combination of a, frame, t Wind-Wheel having pivoted blades,

I with the level', and a flexible connection eX- zt brake engagingr the Wind-wheel and com) tending from the said fiexible connection to the rod, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as I5 my own I have hereto ailixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

AUGUST HENRY HAU.

nected. With the blades, a rod extending from the brake, :t spring disposed on the rod and adapted to actuate the brake, a vane hinged to the frame, a lever fnlcrumed on the vztne and connected at one end with the frame, a iiexible connection extending from the other end of the lever, a pivoted arm receiving the flexible connection, and yieldingly connected Witnesses:

THEO. KERSTEN, HENRY KERSTEN. 

